West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine are expanding their partnership with three freshmen joining the Go D.O. Early Scholars Program this academic year.

The Go D.O. Early Scholars Program offers qualifying students guaranteed acceptance into the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine upon completing undergraduate requirements and a successful interview. The MCAT is waived for participants. This initiative marks the first partnership of its kind between WVSOM and another higher education institution.

The first cohort will graduate from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2025 and proceed to WVSOM.

“As this program continues to grow, we remain so proud of the students who have made the choice to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine,” Dr. James Moore, president of West Virginia Wesleyan College, said. “Our region needs primary care providers who understand how to treat the whole person, and I know these students will be among the best practitioners anywhere. We continue to be honored that West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine thought of Wesleyan to partner in this program.”

Drake O’Dell of Summersville, West Virginia, Dane Heath of Buckhannon, and Chloe Cox of Craigsville were introduced recently.

Heath, a biochemistry major and mathematics minor, overcame a major medical event that inspired her journey to medical school.

“When I was younger, I suffered a traumatic brain injury that took a huge toll on every aspect of my life, and doctors told me that I would never recover,” Heath said. “After several years, we discovered that the answer to my recovery lay in a holistic approach, and I knew I wanted to pursue medicine to help others facing what seem like doomed outcomes as well.”

Heath was drawn to the Go D.O. program for several reasons.

“As I mentioned, the holistic approach to medicine is what helped me recover, so that’s mainly why I was drawn to the Go D.O. program as I knew I wanted to pursue osteopathic medicine,” Heath said. “WVWC is also part of the community that I’ve grown up in and the ability to stay here, close to family, as well as the lower in-state tuition offered by WVSOM, was too good to pass up. I feel very fortunate to have been given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

O’Dell, also a biochemistry major, is interested in the mental health field.

“I want to become a doctor so I can help fight the mental illness epidemic in my home state of West Virginia,” he said. “Many factors drew me to the Go D.O. program. WV Wesleyan and West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine are both very prestigious schools that are close to where I grew up. They provide a top-notch education in a small school setting which I love. I am also terrified of the MCAT which I am now exempt from so long as I meet the GPA requirements.”

Cox, a biochemistry major, said, “I have known from a young age that I wanted to be a doctor. There have been many illnesses in my family, and I want to provide support and be there for other families in need. My ideal goals for being a doctor include opening free clinics throughout the state of West Virginia, so health care can be more affordable and easier to access for families in need.

“I chose to go the route of being a DO because I like how they focus not just on the specific illness but instead focus on the whole body. I gravitated towards the idea of holistic medicine and it truly intrigued me.”

Kaef Rehman of Daniels, West Virginia, Abigail Patterson of Charleston, West Virginia, Ravenna Navalgund of Irvin, Pennsylvania, Srikiran Nandigama of Salt Point, New York, Tessa Sleeth of Salem, West Virginia, Madelyn Armstrong of Bridgeport, West Virginia, Wyatt Burns of Weston, West Virginia, Jack Monks of Charleston, West Virginia, Lanna Nguyen of Bristow, Virginia, and Sophia Shoemaker of Elkins, West Virginia, comprise the first three classes of Go D.O. Scholars.

Applications are now being accepted for 2025 admission. The priority deadline is December 1. In-state and out-of-state students who score at least a 1390 on the SAT or at least a 30 on the ACT and have at least a 3.75 grade point average qualify for the Go D.O. Early Scholars Program. Click here to find out more.